General Power of Attorney Format: Free Word and PDF Sample (India)
Use a general power of attorney when someone must handle a range of your affairs for a while: offices, bills, rent, letters and court matters. Below is a complete format you can copy, a field guide and the points that decide whether banks and offices will accept it.
When a general power of attorney is the right choice
A general power of attorney (GPA) gives the agent authority over several kinds of acts rather than a single task. It suits people who travel or work away from home for long periods, elderly parents who want a son or daughter to handle routine paperwork, and owners who live in another city. If you only need one thing done, a special power of attorney is safer because it ends when the task is done.
The format below deliberately excludes the power to sell, gift or mortgage immovable property. Those acts need precise wording, a property schedule and, in several States, registration. Use the property power of attorney for them.
General power of attorney format
Sample values are shown so you can see how a finished deed reads. Replace them with your own details in the drafter, or copy the text into your own file.
Non-judicial stamp paper or e-stamp certificate of value Rs. ______________ as applicable in the State of ______________
E-stamp certificate No. ______________ Date of issue ______________
Stamp duty depends on the State and the type of document. Confirm the correct value before printing.
GENERAL POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that I, Ramesh Kumar Sharma, S/o Late Shri Mohan Lal Sharma, aged about 58 years, residing at Flat 302, Shanti Residency, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009, holding PAN ABCPS1234K (hereinafter called the "Principal"), do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint Suresh Kumar Sharma, S/o Late Shri Mohan Lal Sharma, aged about 52 years, residing at 12, Gulmohar Park Society, Satellite, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015, my younger brother (hereinafter called the "Attorney"), as my true and lawful attorney to do the following acts, deeds and things in my name and on my behalf.
WHEREAS I am frequently away from Ahmedabad for work and am unable to attend personally to my affairs, and I therefore wish to appoint a trusted person to act for me.
NOW THEREFORE I authorise my said Attorney:
- To look after, manage and supervise all my movable and immovable properties and to pay all taxes, charges, bills and dues in respect of them.
- To appear and represent me before any government, municipal, revenue, tax, electricity, water or other authority or office and to sign, submit and receive applications, forms, declarations and documents for me.
- To deposit cheques, drafts and amounts into my bank accounts and to correspond with my bankers, subject to the rules of the bank concerned.
- To let out any of my properties, sign rent or leave and licence agreements, collect rent and deposits, and issue receipts for them.
- To receive and send letters, notices, parcels and communications addressed to me.
- To engage advocates, sign vakalatnamas, and file, defend, compromise or withdraw any suit, complaint, appeal or proceeding concerning my affairs.
- To present any document executed by me or by the agent under this power for registration before the Sub-Registrar and to admit its execution.
- Generally to do all lawful acts, deeds and things necessary for the purposes stated above, as fully as I could do them myself.
AND I hereby agree to ratify and confirm all lawful acts, deeds and things done by my said Attorney under this deed as if they were done by me personally. This power of attorney does not authorise the Attorney to sell, gift, mortgage or otherwise transfer any of my immovable properties.
This power of attorney shall remain in force until it is revoked by me in writing, or until it ends by operation of law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have signed this deed at Ahmedabad on 14 October 2026.
WITNESSES
1. Name: ______________
Address: ______________
Signature: ______________
2. Name: ______________
Address: ______________
Signature: ______________
Attested before me on ______________
Name of Notary ______________ Registration No. ______________
Seal and signature of Notary ______________
Presented at the office of the Sub-Registrar ______________ on ______________
Registered as Document No. ______________ Book No. ______________ Volume ______________
Registration fee and stamp duty as per the rules of the State: ______________
How to fill each part
| Field | What to write | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Principal | Full name as in your ID, parentage (S/o, D/o, W/o), age and full address. | Use the same spelling as your PAN or Aadhaar to avoid questions. |
| ID reference | PAN, passport number or the last four digits of Aadhaar. | Never write a full Aadhaar number on a document that will circulate. |
| Agent | Full name, parentage, age, address and relationship to you. | A relationship explains why you trust them and helps offices verify. |
| Purpose (recital) | One sentence on why you are appointing an agent. | Keep it factual: work abroad, health, distance. |
| Powers | Tick only the powers you need. Add any special one in your own words. | Name accounts, properties or cases where possible. |
| Ratification | The clause confirming you accept what the agent lawfully does. | Already in the format; do not delete it. |
| Validity | Until revoked, or until a date. | Many offices hesitate to accept very old general powers; consider an end date. |
| Witnesses | Two adults, with names and addresses. | Prefer witnesses who are not the agent. |
Signing, stamping and notarising
- Buy the stampGet non-judicial stamp paper or an e-stamp certificate of the value your State prescribes for a general power of attorney. The format leaves this blank.
- Print and readPrint the deed on the stamp paper (or attach the e-stamp certificate as the first page). Read every clause once more.
- Sign with witnessesThe principal signs each page and the last page in full. The agent signs to accept. Two witnesses sign with their details.
- NotariseTake the signed deed and IDs to a notary, who attests the execution under section 8 of the Notaries Act, 1952.
- Register if neededIf the power concerns immovable property in a State that requires registration, or the receiving office asks for it, register it at the Sub-Registrar.
Do
- Number the pages and sign each one.
- Attach self-attested ID copies of the principal and agent.
- Make two originals if both of you need one, each properly stamped.
- Give the agent a covering letter listing which offices to approach.
Do not
- Leave blank spaces that someone could fill later.
- Add a sale power to a general deed casually.
- Use a stamp paper bought in another person’s name without checking local rules.
- Hand over the original when a certified copy will do.
Variations you may need
- Joint attorneys: add “The Attorneys shall act jointly” or “jointly and severally” after the appointment paragraph.
- Time limit: replace the validity sentence with “This power of attorney shall remain in force until 31 March 2027 unless revoked earlier.”
- Substitution: if the agent may appoint a substitute, say so expressly; otherwise they cannot delegate.
- Tax matters: tax portals have their own authorisation rules; use the tool’s tax clause only as a supporting document.
- Word file: download the editable version from power of attorney format in Word.
Frequently asked questions
Can a general power of attorney be used to sell property?
Only if it expressly gives the power to sell named property, and even then the sale must be completed by a registered sale deed. This format excludes sale powers; use the property format for that.
Is notarisation compulsory?
The law does not say every power of attorney must be notarised, but most banks, offices and registries ask for at least notarised execution. Notarisation records that you signed before a notary who checked your identity.
How long is a general power of attorney valid?
Until it is revoked or ends by law (for example on the principal’s death). You can also set an end date in the deed.
Can the agent sign in their own name?
Yes. Section 2 of the Powers of Attorney Act, 1882 lets the donee sign in their own name and signature under the authority of the power. In practice agents sign as “X, as constituted attorney of Y”.
What if the principal and agent live in different States?
Stamp duty generally follows the State where the instrument is executed, and further duty can arise where it is used. Check both States’ rules before using it across States.
Please note: these templates are for general information and are not legal advice. Laws, stamp duty, notarisation and registration rules vary by State. Consult an advocate for your case. This is an independent website, not a law firm and not a government office.